Am I Cleaning Correctly?

[LibertyGuy]

Yesterday I went to Angeles and shot a couple new rifles during their night hours. I got around to cleaning them after work today and I still don't think I did a well enough job. Here is my basic routine
1. Run a wet patch with original Hoppe's No. 9 down the barrel.
2. Use a brass twister brush back and forth 10 times.
3. Run another wet patch.
4. Run a dry patch
5. If dry patch is still dirty, repeat.

I must have done this several times and while the barrel looks shiny when I shine a light down it, I can still see some copper on the lands, and the grooves look a little black from the powder. I must have had 15 - 20 used patches by the end of it. Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to get a stronger cleaning solvent? Should I use a bristle brush instead of a twister brush? Thanks for the help.

[WDE91]

cleaning routines are like *** holes, everyone has one
the main for cleaning is to gain your accuracy
some guns shoot better when the bore is dirty

[23 Blast]

Um - heck, your cleaning routine is more fastidious than mine!

Basically, though, you may want to let the Hoppe's "sit" in the bore and work it's magic. How long do you wait? I like Hoppe's #9 too, I often run a soaked patch down the bore as the first step in my cleaning, then allow the Hoppes to stay in the bore for at least several minutes while I clean the other pieces of the gun. More stuff will come out the longer you let the solvent work.

It could also be the ammo you're using. I know that any time I've used Eastern-Bloc ammo (Soviet, Russian, Yugoslav, Bulgarian, polish, Turkish) - it is often EXTREMELY dirty, as far as leaving fouling behind. It's fine ammo for shooting, but terrible for cleanup afterward.

[LibertyGuy]

Maybe my problem is not letting the solvent sit. I'll try that tomorrow without a brush and see if that works.

[Massan]

some guns shoot better when the bore is dirty

What gun is that?

[CalNRA]

What gun is that?

22s, for one.

I rarely clean my 22 barrels and they seem to work fine.

[G-forceJunkie]

Is the twister brush the one where the bristles ends are looped? Use a regular brush, that will get down in the grooves. Also, #9 is a good solvent for fowling and such, I don't think it works well on removing copper. Use something like Shooters Choice for that. For a typical rifle, I'll first push a wet patch down to get all the loose stuff. Then brush it 6-8 strokes. The alternate wet and dry patches.

[LibertyGuy]

Is the twister brush the one where the bristles ends are looped? Use a regular brush, that will get down in the grooves. Also, #9 is a good solvent for fowling and such, I don't think it works well on removing copper. Use something like Shooters Choice for that. For a typical rifle, I'll first push a wet patch down to get all the loose stuff. Then brush it 6-8 strokes. The alternate wet and dry patches.

Yeah it's the looped one. I have a bristle brush that I'm going to use when I get home from work. Letting the solvent soak in the barrel is a good idea too.

[Red Devil]

Maybe my problem is not letting the solvent sit. I'll try that tomorrow without a brush and see if that works.

Make sure you have a proper sized bore cleaning jag.

This will really scour the crud out.

If you let the bore soak, it only takes a few passed w/ the brush to break it loose.

Patch/jag to push the crud out, ...then a few more passes w/ the brush.

Then, ...alternating wet patch/dry patch and jag.

Clean your brushes when they get foul by putting them in a film container or small jar w/ a little Hoppe's, ...and shake.

Then blot w/ a rag.

[Greg-Dawg]

2. Use a brass twister brush back and forth 10 times.

Just go to the chamber to the muzzle.

[Divernhunter]

I do not use #9 anymore. There are much better newer products out there. Tetra-gun/sweets7.62/blue wonder/shooters choice/50%/50% shooters choice and Kroil oil/50%/50% syn ATF and acetone etc. Also wipe out is really good. It is the first foaming bore cleaner and just shoot it into the bore and let it set several hours or overnight and you will be surpised what will come out of the barrel. I get surplus firearms had really have a build-up and use a combo of these prodects to get them back down to bare metal.

Buy patches in bulk and save.

[Tony.]

You are probably going to do more damage to you barrel trying to get every last spec out. Shooting, don't worry about cleaning it until the accuracy drops.

[LibertyGuy]

I went to Turners and bought some Sweets 7.62 Solvent. Wow, that stuff is great. Thanks for the tips guys!

[Divernhunter]

Follow the directions with sweets or any other with amonia in it. If you leave it in too long you will/can damage the barrel. But used correctly it is great stuff.

Also try wipe-out I think you will really like it also.

[Air]

I rarely clean my 22 barrels and they seem to work fine.

I never do, well I'm meticulous about the Anschutz and Browning, the others (Ruger/Marlin) I never clean...